A CQN’er prepared this forensic analysis of the relative poverty of Newco (formally named for analysis) compared to Celtic. It covers where they currently are and, more importantly, brings into sharp focus their financial projections for next season.
A storm is coming.
It’s International week, so it seems like a good time to look forward. Whilst most fans will be focusing on the matches remaining between now and the end of May, Managers and Football boards have to look further ahead. Budgets are being planned, appointments being considered and money, as always , is foremost in the thoughts of Directors and Managers.
Money, if you have it , can solve short term challenges, set in place long term strategy and is a mechanism to energise the fanbase. When you don’t have money, the problems and challenges are of a completely different nature. Celtic have money, a lot of money.
The cash balance on 31 December 2018 was £44m. Of course, some of that money has to be spent on wages and suppliers before the year-end. However, Celtic will also receive stage payments on Dembele sale circa €7m before 30 June (it’s common for large fees to be spread over 2 years), management team contract buyout of £9m, SPFL final distribution for 2018-19 season £2.2m, Valencia gate receipts and Hospitality £2.2m, and close to another £2m in match day ticket sales for the 11 SPFL home games taking place since 1 January.
None of this cash was shown in the Interim accounts. Payments will be received for players sold as well as payments made for players already purchased. The Year End cash balance will be a record high beating last year’s figure of £40m.
Everyone will have an opinion of where and how much we should invest, and that will be the subject of another article nearer the season’s end.
The challenges across the City are of a completely different nature. As always the demands there aren’t supported by financial reality, and having gone all in on Caixinha and Gerrard, a new and more challenging reality is looming.
Rangers posted an operating profit of £3.8 Million in the 6 months to 31 December 2018. The Rangers Chairman in his financial review that accompanied the interim accounts stated, “the Club is forecasting to be close to break-even for EBITDA for the year”.
I’m sure that was designed to provide comfort to shareholders and fans alike, however some context is required.
In the full year to 30 June 2018, Rangers produced an EBITDA of a loss of £4.18m. I guess that’s close to break even in some eyes. In the full year to 30 June 2017, Rangers produced an EBITDA loss of £105k. There is no question that is close to break even.
The problem though is that EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) is only part of the picture. The more relevant numbers relate to Operating Profit. That and Cash Flow tell a more complete picture on financial health.
From a 2018 EBITDA loss of £4.18 Million, Rangers produced an operating loss of £13.16m and from a virtual break-even 2017 EBITDA, Rangers produced an operating loss of £6.3m. The 2019 Operating result will be another significant loss.
REVENUES
· Rangers had Revenue of £35m in the first half of the current financial year
· Much of that Revenue will not recur in the second half of the year
· There were 7 home games in the Europa League that will have generated close to £9.6m in gate money
· Rangers earned £4.4m in Uefa prize money in the first half , nothing in the second half
· Rangers will play 3 less home SPFL games in the second half resulting in a £3.1m reduction in gate revenue, as season ticket money is allocated to each individual game
· With 10 less home games in the second half , Hospitality and Match day revenues such as parking, catering and programmes, will be down by possibly £3.3 Million
· Other less significant revenues will reduce in line with less games played at home in the second half
· It’s estimated Rangers will have revenues of close to £14.9m for the second half which is 12% growth on the second half of the financial year to 30 June 2018
EXPENSES
· Rangers won’t have the cost of travel and accommodation for European away games. This should deliver a saving of around £1.5 Million
· There are 10 less home games, which will deliver savings on part time staff, security, Police and utility costs. Should save around £400k
· Pena is now gone. It’s unknown if he was paid off or fired without any contractual settlement. It’s anywhere between a £340k saving or if paid in full (unlikely) an extra expense of £2m. Assumption is he got nothing, so a saving achieved
· Defoe and Davis won’t be cheap, and even Kamara will add a significant amount compared to the first half. Estimate an increase of £1.1m in player wages for these 3 for 6 months
· The first team squad and the management team will have earned bonuses for Europa League Group entry. That won’t recur in the second half . Estimated at £1.5m
· Nothing much happened in terms of players being bought, only Kamara for a small fee. Amortisation charge should be similar to the first half
· All in all, expenses will have reduced by around £2.65m to £26.4m for the second half, making a full year total of £55.5m
The second half of the Year will deliver a large loss of over £14.5m, unless significant player sales are undertaken in June, making an annual operating loss in excess of £11m.
“Be moderate in prosperity, prudent in adversity”, Periander
Nobody could argue against the reality that Rangers have had a mountain of adversity to deal with since 2012. Equally, nobody is ever going to claim they have been prudent. They have borrowed money from the likes of Mike Ashley, raised significant sums in multiple share issues organised by
Charles Green and Dave King, been loaned large interest free sums by shareholders and borrowed at ferocious rates from Close Bros.
What they have never done is provide funding through operational profitability. They are now on their fifth manager since 2012 with none of the major trophies available in Scotland to show for all of the debt and losses incurred. They have only managed to reach one Cup Final in 21 attempts, and even then lost memorably to a Hibernian team inspired by individuals with strong Celtic connections.
The question for Rangers now is what appetite do the shareholders have for risk? There is very little opportunity to grow revenues. Ibrox is full for every game, season books are maxed out. It would take Champions League Group revenue to be a game changer. Celtic are 1/100 to win this year’s SPFL. Rangers are 25/1.
It’s highly unlikely Rangers will even have an opportunity to qualify for the Champions League Group stages before season 2020-21. Even that remains a long shot. In the meantime, the Rangers board have to decide how much appetite they have for risk.
This season is likely, as shown, to deliver an operating loss of £11.2m, which will be reduced by the £2.8m already banked as profit on the sales of Windass and John. Give Gerrard the same budget for 2019-20 and if he delivers the same result, then another £11m operating loss will be the outcome.
Selling Morelos for £20m is the stuff of fantasy . His record pales next to Dembele’s . In fact his record isn’t as good as Leigh Griffiths and we weren’t fending off bids for even 30% of what it’s claimed Morleos will be sold for. Fail to qualify for the Europa League Group Stages and the operating loss will be rocketing towards £22 Million. Who is going to cover that? Will the shareholders continue to fund ever increasing losses for no silverware, or will they prudently use whatever they raise in asset sales to fund some of the losses, and take a long term view by living within their means.. History would suggest they will roll the dice yet again.
As noted earlier, Celtic have very substantial cash reserves. Rangers do not. They effectively have no cash. They exist on Close Bros debt and shareholder loans once the Season Book money runs out, which with the significantly increased budget given to Gerrard, happens earlier than ever and without Europa League Group Revenue, could happen well before the next winter break.
Gerrard improved the European record significantly; he was aided though by as soft a draw in the qualifiers as was possible. There is a strong chance of much better opposition next season.
The Rangers Directors have provided the funds to cover shortfalls up to this point. They are now facing significant challenges. They have seen Gerrard in action for a year. His League and Cup record is no better than Pedro’s. The money from shareholders has all been spent. The Close Bros money will be gone in a few weeks and will then have to be repaid.
Celtic will rebuild in the summer. No guarantees it will be successful, but it will be funded by our own resources and financial reserves. Rangers have no resources of their own and absolutely no financial reserves. At some point those lending money and buying shares will realise this isn’t a calculated risk, it is extreme rashness.
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Big Packy
I think the others are Delaney, McDonald, Crumb Divers and Murphy.
DD, been reading back and I’m really sad to learn about mum’s health, a horrible situation for her and you and the family. I think my own mum is showing signs of this and it’s really frustrating and difficult to accept so I feel for u mhate. I lost my dad in seville year and he was my hero, but my mum is my best pal and always will be, totally indebted to her forever as I know you are with your mum. God when I think of what I put her through sometimes? You too eh? Anyway, cherish every moment, however difficult.
YNWA
HVRATSKI JIM, thanks just googled it, what a numpty I am ,hh. hope you are well hh.
Big packy.
My dad rhymed off that team to me so much that I can still recite it today without help from Mr. Google.
Hope that all is well with you and your canine friends. Our Max is over 12 now and has problems with his back and hips so I have to limit his walks to an hour at most now. He still enjoys them. Today we went to Barnton loch near Kilsyth so he is flopped out in his bed tonight.
HVRATSKI JIM all well here at the moment, is max on any medication, because I believe yumove for dogs is very good for back and hips in older dogs.hh.
HRVATSKI JIM on 23RD MARCH 2019 10:34 PM
Big packy. My dad rhymed off that team to me so much that I can still recite it today without help from Mr. Google.
*mine tae it was like a litany, he would be 95 and that was his favourite team ever although he did teach me the 7-1 team.
He gets Previcox for joint inflammation (@ £60 per pack) and it does help him. I will look at yumove and talk to mrs. HJ about it.
Overall he is doing quite well so we are fairly happy with his state. Some Labradors are worse at his age.
Big Packy:The team you learned from your Dad is The Empire Exhibition Trophy team of 1938 and ‘taught’ to almost all Tim’s whose Dads were around at that time!I could recite it before I started school…..
COSY CORNER BHOY, cheers for that, did not know it was the empire exhibition trophy team, would have loved to have seen them play.hh.
I told Max that he is the centre of attention tonight on CQN. He raised one eyebrow long enough to give me a withering look.
Indeed the Empire Exhibition team. If I recollect we were under a lot of pressure in the final but Joe Kennoway had the game of his life in goal.
of course soon that team would break up during WW2 and famine would strike us for 20 years. That’s why I can never get complacent about our current period of success. Despite our advantages it could be over one day and hard to get it back. So, every trophy is to be cherished.
THEFLAGSTAYS on 20TH MARCH 2019 2:55 PM
We were knocked out because we had a manager with his eye on another gig who was unable to learn from his mistakes and failed to correct basic defensive errors over the 2 AEK legs (replica goals against). This continued into the Europa league where we managed to regress even more under him.
*I have given his sneaking out the back door, and sneak out he did as when his rep showed up tae say his goodbye tae the players both Broonie and young Kieran allegedly hunted him, a lot of thought the last 25 days and based on my 70 or so years supporting the leather belts and reading not just about them but fitba as a whole I’ve come up with the following, some, maybe a lot of you, might not agree with me, that’s called democracy BTW, but this is how I see it:
For Celtic’s poor performances in Europe we can look at Liam Brady’s second European game, literally 5 minutes after he arrived at the club, although it should be noted we had knocked out Belgium side Germinal Ekeran in the first round, this was his first managerial appointment, yet if Charlie Nick hudnae missed a penalty in the 4th minute on a dreich All Saints Day evening it could have been so different as after wee Joe put us ahead early in the 2nd half, he, Charlie and the kid on Irishman Cascarino contrived tae miss easy chances. The following season we had one of our better European results coming back fae 0-2 down tae Cologne tae win 3-0.
Fast forward 14 years and the Neuchtal result has been replaced by Artmedia, a team that the Oul Dr warned us about incidentally, the following Saturday we then threw away a 3-1 lead at Fir Park only for a Craig Beattie injury time equaliser tae save face.
3 days later and we really nearly did turn it around winning 4-0 at Parkheid. David Marshall and Stan Vargas were the fall guys for the previous 2 games as WGS revamped a MON side that had capitulated on Black Sunday, please no comments about ebts and honest mistakes, his side was burnt out.
Artmedia actually qualified for the group stages beating our old foes Partizan on penalties enroute where they tied twice with the deid team and beat a future foe Porto away, the only team to beat them was again another adversary Inter, all of a sudden within a couple of months they were no longer, unlike Lincoln Red Imps, a pub team.
So there you have 2 Celtic managers, 1, one of the finest midfielders the UK has ever seen, who inexperienced as he was had us playing nice fitba, in fact he was a whisker away from a Stuart Slater goal against deidco of being a hero. We did win the Tennent Sixes though lol.
The other well after that dreadful European defeat we did win the League by 17 points over the calvinists and went on tae claim 3 Titles (in a row I hasten tae add), 2 LC and 1 SC, 3 times SPFA Manager of the Year, twice SPL Manager of the Year and also qualified for the last 16 twice putting us back on the European pedestal, who can forget the penalty shoot out with Spartak and the normally reticent TB jumping on the celebrating players backs, or AC Milan/ manure.
Also, unlike some ex-Celts born tae support us, he wullnae hear a bad word about us, oh and he’s never claimed he always supported us but, similar tae Jock, he did say this in May 2009 “I wasn’t going to pretend I came here as a Celtic supporter. I don’t believe in kissing badges to get your support. I didn’t know the words of ‘Fields of Athenry’…. [but] From today, I’ve become a Celtic supporter.”
But none of the above European failures compares with the humiliations we’ve suffered with clodagh, how many hid behind the couch hoping it widnae go intae double figures or when we lost a 3 goal margin against Be’er Sheva or what about Lincoln Red Imps, we are no longer fortress Parkheid and its actually been said in Europe that we are now an easy 3 points, the Big Mhan must be birlin in his grave.
Oh wait a minute; it’s all the heated driveway mhan’s fault.
Cast your mind back 9 months ago when we signed big Odjob fae PSG on a four-year deal in the biggest transfer in our history. We were all over the moon and salivating at the thoughts of him and the Moose rampaging against domestic and European teams.
Unknown tae us chocolate was already planning his exit, he went tae PL and said he wanted tae leave, allegedly with the Moose, something about his china.
Seemingly when DD heard this he went ballistic stating we had just given him 9 million and then he’s bailing oot, better Celtic mhen than him had been hunted for less.
However, you don’t get tae be a billionaire by being stupid so he requested PL to have a Plan B or should that be Plan L in case sneaky bailed oot midstream.
All of a sudden leaks appeared, Lenny should be called the plumber as the leaks have since stopped, when this narcissist started airing our durty laundry, Christiano Piccini, as if he would swap Parkheid and the agricultural fitba of the SP Hell for the sunny Mestalla and La Liga, John McGinn with a grampa who would surely have known of the “Et tu, Brute” that was going on at the time, how many wingers do we need etc.
After strolling to a 3-1 win on flag day with Big Tam running the show we dropped 3 points at swinecastle with the lavvie scoring the winning goal and giving us the red hand seig heil salute, we huffed and puffed against a sevco directors other team, no matter we’ll gub his main side, not so, aye it was a Beautiful Sunday and we won easily but it’s clear something was lacking.
This continued for the first half of the season, our away form was scheitd, a draw at Fir Park and a gubbin at Easter Road, where their manager was having internal problems, aye it’s all the mitbs fault, yet in spite of the spoofer practically downing tools, we won the LC.
And then the unforgivable he went intae hades with a poor team selection and tactics, was this done on purpose, don’t forget by this time he was on a promise that he would be in the King Power Stadium 10 days after this game, was this his farewell present tae us the support who had elevated this failed EPL manager tae a level he didnae really deserve, real Celtic mhen don’t do that.
We often claim that some teams lay down tae the huns, mccall’s motherwell, tango and sash’s pars and until recently mcsleekit’s sheep come tae mind, and the question is how can they when they have Tims in their side, easy when the manager picks the side and chooses the tactics. He who sold out the patriot game proved that on December 29 2018.
However, when his move fell through and after the Dubai trip when it looked as if he was staying for the rest of the season he became more focused and our form, Europe notwithstanding, picked up, there was no way he was going tae sacrifice his potential move tae the only club he ever wanted tae manage, no matter who that was, and so we benefited as for the first time this season we started to win playing football the Glasgow Celtic way.
Unbeknownst tae us the Foxes players were planning tae throw their own manager under the bus which they eventually did on the last Saturday in February.
I actually watched this game and couldnae believe how poor the home side were, the next day we had a very good win under controversial circumstances as the Motherwell manager verbally attacked our fans and for the first time since he arrived the fraud hit back, was the worm turning, that soon ended when Claude Puel’s reign ended at the King Power Stadium
On the Monday our now departing manager and his assistant were seen laughing and joking at Lennoxtown, what we didnae know was they were now off dawn sarf, not giving a donald about us and our treble treble or 8 in a row aspirations.
Just look at the European draw we had AEK FGS we should have been in the CL after Christmas but no we drop intae the Europa and we only qualify for the post Christmas games due tae Rosenberg stealing a late point at Leipzig, he must have been gutted the best laid plans etc, and then a poor Spanish side take care of us.
John Barnes’s short term showed a better run in Europe, we even managed a win in Israel, even the hapless Mogga contrived tae win away in Moscow and Hamburg and PLG was given the sugar lump after remaining unbeaten in the UEFA Cup and finishing at the top of their group, for heaven’s sake sevco had a better run in Europe under the mersey tunnel mooth than we did.
With the players we have we should now be playing Villarreal, 17th in la Liga, and after that Napoli or the arse. Unfortunately we had a manager who knew he was raphael in Europe and didnae know how tae compete with real technical coaches, he also couldnae give a donald duck for us by then, we win he has to stay and probably be shown up as the loser he is against better coached sides, but his eyes, unfortunately for us, were on the east midlands.
When he asks in an interview after his current sides games “how did the Celtic get on”, don’t be fooled by that, it’s only because he is shocked at how venomous a support that worshiped him are.
As WGS also said “I don’t know if there is another big club where the supporters have a love like the supporters have a love for this club.” Clearly the Sheffield Wednesday supporter didnae.
Scores are easy tae get especially in this day and age and should be no problem sitting in the dugout, I’m in my 45th season over here and I’ve always been able tae get them pretty soon after the final whistle.
FGS a former Albion Rovers centre half when leaving the field used tae ask how the boys got on, not the bhoys a hasten tae add, and that was in the 40s.
If he had stayed until the season’s end and then stated that for ambitious reasons he was going south as he had done enough up in Scotland, I, sad tae see him go, would have been grateful for the possible 9 trophies, treble treble and the money that was brought in.
But let’s be cognizant to the fact that at the time he joined us he was unemployable and also had no trophies tae his name. He was also not very popular with the fans of the clubs he ditched, after signing long term contracts tae, on his way tae fame and fortune, his first game for the Foxes which they lost tae a late goal the Hornets DJ played “Just Can’t Get Enough” lol, so in essence we were just as good for him as he was for us and we really have dodged the proverbial bullet.
I would have bought the done enough up in Scotland excuse, but China and Leicester, that’s not ambition, that’s avarice.
He’s nothing but a phony bassa that took a loan of us all, plus he sensed that there was an issue between some of our fans and our CEO, a better mhan than he’ll ever be, FGS Alan Partridge’s doppelganger is a better Celtic mhan than him, and tried tae play us against each other.
Don’t forget that DD is the real mhan that calls the shots, it was he who opened up the purse strings to pay him and his staff their inflated salary and purchase the players he wanted, if not needed as half of them sat in the stand, he thinks he was being a fox, no pun intended, when all he really was is, and there’s only one word for it, SLEEKIT.
We were told as weans that the dear saint of our isle drove all the snakes out of Ireland, unfortunately it looks like he missed one on the Antrim coast.
No matter what and how infantile his actions were when he didnae get his way and threw his toys out of the pram we still have one trophy in the cabinet, are in the semis of the SC and 10 points ahead in the League, this is all down to the players and the well run organisation that is Celtic FC.
Should we eventually reach the magic 10 and Lenny, Ronny and whoever is in charge then are invited back for a celebration I hope he isnae, in fact I hope he NEVER darkens the Celtic Way again.
DD,BT OTHERS, feel for you ghuys lost my dad to same horrible illness terrible on all the family, Nancy Regan wrote a book called the long good bye, it does get easier, some songs etc etc bring back good and sad memories, thoughts and prayers ghuys
TONTINE TIM, you have just put in words what I have been thinking since he left, never a celtic supporter, cap doffed.hh,
Tontine Tim 11.16pm
Lennys predecessor suckered the lot of us…. for any of his football failings, 7 trophies on the bounce was pretty incredible, never ever losing a domestic cup tie, incredible … but I don’t disagree with what you posted, for all of the good things he achieved with trophies and improvements in our players they will be long forgotten far quicker than the manner of his departure …. apart from obviously Benkovic and Boyata think I will be gutted if any of the other bhoys make their way to Leicester …. still think big Dedryck got the heads up as I find it strange no pre-contract was signed in January after the debacle before AEK, that’s just my opinion with heehaw substance apart fae a suspicious mind :-)
Tontime Tim.
Quite brilliant synopsis.
Our veteran celts . With business and people management experiences. And emotional intelligence.
To sum it up. Brendan is a greedy selfish bastard who doesn’t give a flying fluck about his own family or us.
Keep it lit.
It’s a horrible comparison for me.
But for us teenagers of the early 80s .
Brendan grew up the same time as most of us.
His words.
Versus Bobby sands diaries posted here.
Who is your hero.
GFTB ,a posted earlier about Boyata going to Leicester, a certainty, equal certainty the big dumping will get fun oot!!!
Saints stivs ?TONTINE , brilliant as per , oot
Tontine Tim
Chapeau, Sir. Well said.
HH
Weebawbabbity 12.11am
Only having a wee lurk now and again especially during international “break” although this time next week am sure the blog will be a bit busier :-)
As for big Boyata I think he has had a terrific season after the early season stuff and at least when called upon he has gave it his all
GFTB , agree, in part he had had a pretty decent season, but!’ Willing to bet he will get found out next season ( if he goes to to a better league ?
Weebawbabbity 12.35am
The grass is never greener, not many (Henrik the exception) go on to bigger (if not better :-) things … even if big Boyata goes on to earn mega squillions, the medals (celebrations) will be few and far between …
On that note, fellow Celts good night n god bless
GFTB maybe big virgal, but him and Dalglish, you’re probably right ps apologies for agreeing tonight ?catch you at next hoot ( without dez )?
Tontine Tim,,
As you say that’s democracy but sorry my good chap I cannot agree with some assertions you make in that post .
Love your posts , keep on keeping on.
Hail Hsil
Father Murphy, Boolavogue.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxpSqX4DUTA
Ave Ave
TONTINE TIM on 23RD MARCH 2019 11:16 PM
Woohoo, great witty post.
However we cannot air brush BR’s achievements . He has set the standards both on and off the park. ( And £9m is not bad for a manager who was for the off )
HH to all.
Good morning CQN from an overcast and chilly Garngad
Surprise Surprise, we supply players for internationals and oh, guess what we accumulate more injuries or players who have went on international duty with a slight injury and played despite travelling with a slight injury.
KT being the only one to have highlife he was not fit to play, thus Scotland doc agreeing with him.
This is where I feel frustration, with our players.
They should remember who pays thier feckin wages. If they do not feel 100% fit to play for Club then country then they should be high litany this to the international team doctors.
Are our players as committed to our club as they are their country’s????? It does not look like it.
D. :)
FFs does this iPad not recognise highlight or highlighting from previous post.
D. :)
morning bhoys from a partly sunny but chilly Cheshire, DAVID66 ihave the same trouble on my laptop, don’t know if the ads have anything to do with it, im currently blocking 101 ads on my adblocker.i dread to think what it would be like with no adblocker.hh.
BP1 – I do not get ads as I turn on and off java script dependent on site.
D. :)
Good morning Tims.
…………………………..
TONTINE TIM on 23RD MARCH 2019 11:16 PM
THEFLAGSTAYS on 20TH MARCH 2019 2:55 PM
We were knocked out because we had a manager with his eye on another gig who was unable to learn from his mistakes and failed to correct basic defensive errors over the 2 AEK legs (replica goals against). This continued into the Europa league where we managed to regress even more under him.
*I have given his sneaking out the back door, and sneak out he did as when his rep showed up tae say his goodbye tae the players both Broonie and young Kieran allegedly hunted him, a lot of thought the last 25 days and based on my 70 or so years supporting the leather belts and reading not just about them but fitba as a whole I’ve come up with the following, some, maybe a lot of you, might not agree with me, that’s called democracy BTW, but this is how I see it:
For Celtic’s poor performances in Europe we can look at Liam Brady’s second European game, literally 5 minutes after he arrived at the club, although it should be noted we had knocked out Belgium side Germinal Ekeran in the first round, this was his first managerial appointment, yet if Charlie Nick hudnae missed a penalty in the 4th minute on a dreich All Saints Day evening it could have been so different as after wee Joe put us ahead early in the 2nd half, he, Charlie and the kid on Irishman Cascarino contrived tae miss easy chances. The following season we had one of our better European results coming back fae 0-2 down tae Cologne tae win 3-0.
Fast forward 14 years and the Neuchtal result has been replaced by Artmedia, a team that the Oul Dr warned us about incidentally, the following Saturday we then threw away a 3-1 lead at Fir Park only for a Craig Beattie injury time equaliser tae save face.
3 days later and we really nearly did turn it around winning 4-0 at Parkheid. David Marshall and Stan Vargas were the fall guys for the previous 2 games as WGS revamped a MON side that had capitulated on Black Sunday, please no comments about ebts and honest mistakes, his side was burnt out.
Artmedia actually qualified for the group stages beating our old foes Partizan on penalties enroute where they tied twice with the deid team and beat a future foe Porto away, the only team to beat them was again another adversary Inter, all of a sudden within a couple of months they were no longer, unlike Lincoln Red Imps, a pub team.
So there you have 2 Celtic managers, 1, one of the finest midfielders the UK has ever seen, who inexperienced as he was had us playing nice fitba, in fact he was a whisker away from a Stuart Slater goal against deidco of being a hero. We did win the Tennent Sixes though lol.
The other well after that dreadful European defeat we did win the League by 17 points over the calvinists and went on tae claim 3 Titles (in a row I hasten tae add), 2 LC and 1 SC, 3 times SPFA Manager of the Year, twice SPL Manager of the Year and also qualified for the last 16 twice putting us back on the European pedestal, who can forget the penalty shoot out with Spartak and the normally reticent TB jumping on the celebrating players backs, or AC Milan/ manure.
Also, unlike some ex-Celts born tae support us, he wullnae hear a bad word about us, oh and he’s never claimed he always supported us but, similar tae Jock, he did say this in May 2009 “I wasn’t going to pretend I came here as a Celtic supporter. I don’t believe in kissing badges to get your support. I didn’t know the words of ‘Fields of Athenry’…. [but] From today, I’ve become a Celtic supporter.”
But none of the above European failures compares with the humiliations we’ve suffered with clodagh, how many hid behind the couch hoping it widnae go intae double figures or when we lost a 3 goal margin against Be’er Sheva or what about Lincoln Red Imps, we are no longer fortress Parkheid and its actually been said in Europe that we are now an easy 3 points, the Big Mhan must be birlin in his grave.
Oh wait a minute; it’s all the heated driveway mhan’s fault.
Cast your mind back 9 months ago when we signed big Odjob fae PSG on a four-year deal in the biggest transfer in our history. We were all over the moon and salivating at the thoughts of him and the Moose rampaging against domestic and European teams.
Unknown tae us chocolate was already planning his exit, he went tae PL and said he wanted tae leave, allegedly with the Moose, something about his china.
Seemingly when DD heard this he went ballistic stating we had just given him 9 million and then he’s bailing oot, better Celtic mhen than him had been hunted for less.
However, you don’t get tae be a billionaire by being stupid so he requested PL to have a Plan B or should that be Plan L in case sneaky bailed oot midstream.
All of a sudden leaks appeared, Lenny should be called the plumber as the leaks have since stopped, when this narcissist started airing our durty laundry, Christiano Piccini, as if he would swap Parkheid and the agricultural fitba of the SP Hell for the sunny Mestalla and La Liga, John McGinn with a grampa who would surely have known of the “Et tu, Brute” that was going on at the time, how many wingers do we need etc.
After strolling to a 3-1 win on flag day with Big Tam running the show we dropped 3 points at swinecastle with the lavvie scoring the winning goal and giving us the red hand seig heil salute, we huffed and puffed against a sevco directors other team, no matter we’ll gub his main side, not so, aye it was a Beautiful Sunday and we won easily but it’s clear something was lacking.
This continued for the first half of the season, our away form was scheitd, a draw at Fir Park and a gubbin at Easter Road, where their manager was having internal problems, aye it’s all the mitbs fault, yet in spite of the spoofer practically downing tools, we won the LC.
And then the unforgivable he went intae hades with a poor team selection and tactics, was this done on purpose, don’t forget by this time he was on a promise that he would be in the King Power Stadium 10 days after this game, was this his farewell present tae us the support who had elevated this failed EPL manager tae a level he didnae really deserve, real Celtic mhen don’t do that.
We often claim that some teams lay down tae the huns, mccall’s motherwell, tango and sash’s pars and until recently mcsleekit’s sheep come tae mind, and the question is how can they when they have Tims in their side, easy when the manager picks the side and chooses the tactics. He who sold out the patriot game proved that on December 29 2018.
However, when his move fell through and after the Dubai trip when it looked as if he was staying for the rest of the season he became more focused and our form, Europe notwithstanding, picked up, there was no way he was going tae sacrifice his potential move tae the only club he ever wanted tae manage, no matter who that was, and so we benefited as for the first time this season we started to win playing football the Glasgow Celtic way.
Unbeknownst tae us the Foxes players were planning tae throw their own manager under the bus which they eventually did on the last Saturday in February.
I actually watched this game and couldnae believe how poor the home side were, the next day we had a very good win under controversial circumstances as the Motherwell manager verbally attacked our fans and for the first time since he arrived the fraud hit back, was the worm turning, that soon ended when Claude Puel’s reign ended at the King Power Stadium
On the Monday our now departing manager and his assistant were seen laughing and joking at Lennoxtown, what we didnae know was they were now off dawn sarf, not giving a donald about us and our treble treble or 8 in a row aspirations.
Just look at the European draw we had AEK FGS we should have been in the CL after Christmas but no we drop intae the Europa and we only qualify for the post Christmas games due tae Rosenberg stealing a late point at Leipzig, he must have been gutted the best laid plans etc, and then a poor Spanish side take care of us.
John Barnes’s short term showed a better run in Europe, we even managed a win in Israel, even the hapless Mogga contrived tae win away in Moscow and Hamburg and PLG was given the sugar lump after remaining unbeaten in the UEFA Cup and finishing at the top of their group, for heaven’s sake sevco had a better run in Europe under the mersey tunnel mooth than we did.
With the players we have we should now be playing Villarreal, 17th in la Liga, and after that Napoli or the arse. Unfortunately we had a manager who knew he was raphael in Europe and didnae know how tae compete with real technical coaches, he also couldnae give a donald duck for us by then, we win he has to stay and probably be shown up as the loser he is against better coached sides, but his eyes, unfortunately for us, were on the east midlands.
When he asks in an interview after his current sides games “how did the Celtic get on”, don’t be fooled by that, it’s only because he is shocked at how venomous a support that worshiped him are.
As WGS also said “I don’t know if there is another big club where the supporters have a love like the supporters have a love for this club.” Clearly the Sheffield Wednesday supporter didnae.
Scores are easy tae get especially in this day and age and should be no problem sitting in the dugout, I’m in my 45th season over here and I’ve always been able tae get them pretty soon after the final whistle.
FGS a former Albion Rovers centre half when leaving the field used tae ask how the boys got on, not the bhoys a hasten tae add, and that was in the 40s.
If he had stayed until the season’s end and then stated that for ambitious reasons he was going south as he had done enough up in Scotland, I, sad tae see him go, would have been grateful for the possible 9 trophies, treble treble and the money that was brought in.
But let’s be cognizant to the fact that at the time he joined us he was unemployable and also had no trophies tae his name. He was also not very popular with the fans of the clubs he ditched, after signing long term contracts tae, on his way tae fame and fortune, his first game for the Foxes which they lost tae a late goal the Hornets DJ played “Just Can’t Get Enough” lol, so in essence we were just as good for him as he was for us and we really have dodged the proverbial bullet.
I would have bought the done enough up in Scotland excuse, but China and Leicester, that’s not ambition, that’s avarice.
He’s nothing but a phony bassa that took a loan of us all, plus he sensed that there was an issue between some of our fans and our CEO, a better mhan than he’ll ever be, FGS Alan Partridge’s doppelganger is a better Celtic mhan than him, and tried tae play us against each other.
Don’t forget that DD is the real mhan that calls the shots, it was he who opened up the purse strings to pay him and his staff their inflated salary and purchase the players he wanted, if not needed as half of them sat in the stand, he thinks he was being a fox, no pun intended, when all he really was is, and there’s only one word for it, SLEEKIT.
We were told as weans that the dear saint of our isle drove all the snakes out of Ireland, unfortunately it looks like he missed one on the Antrim coast.
No matter what and how infantile his actions were when he didnae get his way and threw his toys out of the pram we still have one trophy in the cabinet, are in the semis of the SC and 10 points ahead in the League, this is all down to the players and the well run organisation that is Celtic FC.
Should we eventually reach the magic 10 and Lenny, Ronny and whoever is in charge then are invited back for a celebration I hope he isnae, in fact I hope he NEVER darkens the Celtic Way again.
Tontine Tim
Great post , your not alone in seeing that little sh1t for what he is good riddance fraud.
In ither news………..
Alec Ahauf basically says that it’ll take a-loat-a-money for him tae chuck it ( again) and rejoin Shortie ( again) to, doubtless……… explain “stuff” in his usual insightful and engrossing style.
Aye.
A poor performance………… or result……… agin’ Dukla Pumpherston Reserves the day, will doubtless see The Cardigan re-installed as fave for the hotseat with WGS eventually, reluctantly being installed as the least worsest ootcome the meeja sleekits and Huns are willing to put up with…………
In a generation the huns have undermined the game to the detriment of the national side – all to attempt to better what the Lions achieved fair and square. Pardon the pun.
hh
Good morning friends from a wet underfoot but dry overhead, windy East Kilbride.
Tontine Tim from 11:18 last night – thank you for posting your thoughts, that gave me a great breakfast read.
Scotland on a hiding to nothing today. Even a win by a significant margin (very unlikely given our lack of strikers) won’t make up for Thursday’s debacle. But I will still be watching. And hoping for a win.
Population of San Marino is @35 k
SoT
“Population of San Marino is @35 k”
Logically, that means San Marino would beat Arbroath 2-1, draw with Falkirk and lose to Stirling in a penalty shoot out.
JJ
Dear CQN & all – Lustig is NOT an injury scare! He got a face-shoulder knock, got up slowly, shook his head, went off … and then took the throw-in to restart the game! He then played the rest of the full game and played very well – his work rate his attack/defense was outstanding, up and down the park! I watched the game live here in Spain. I fully expect him to be available next week.